"US Army Tests New Super-Soldier Exoskeleton" Topic

"The Army is testing an exoskeleton technology which uses AI to analyze and replicate individual walk patterns, provide additional torque, power and mobility for combat infantry and enable heavier load-carrying, industry officials said.

Army evaluators have been assessing a Lockheed-built FORTIS knee-stress-release-device exoskeleton with soldiers at Fort A.P. Hill as part of a focus on fielding new performance enhancing soldier technologies.

Using independent actuators, motors and lightweight conformal structures, lithium ion battery powered FORTIS allows soldiers to carry 180 pounds up five flights of stairs while expending less energy…."
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It has a lithium battery – hope it has a quick release system because the battery may burst into flames if it gets penetrated by anything, or just when it feels like it.

Remember, your equipment is made by the lowest bidder.

Lithium batteries in a combat area? Maybe they should just take huge doses of steroids or HGH. Seems safer.

We've been using Lithium batteries in our kit for years. A lot of stuff won't run on non lithium any more, or rather it will but at a very poor rate. Can't say that I was worried about using Lithium in combat, I was just very glad of the weight and space it saved.

I always find it funny when someone comments about how dangerous an item is to a person carrying it in combat. As if all the bullets, explosives and bombs are some how more safer. hahahahaha

Lithium batteries are no more dangerous than carrying explosives or a flamethrower in a combat environment.

Microgeorge does make a good point, would it be safer and cheaper to just juice them up with roids and ghb?? lol

Which brings up another point of physical inhancement of soldiers. The soldiers becoming addicted to those enhancements when their enlistment ends and they get out or change careers in the military???

Roids and HGH are not good for long-term use.

HGH is particularly problematic because it actually slows your healing rate (one of the big fears when filming the most recent Rambo film was that Stallone would break a bone, it would most likely never heal).

Ironwolf, I'm going to take issue wth your assertion about lithium batteries being safer than explosives. As someone with experience handling, employing, wiring, and initiating industrial and mining explosives, I can assure you that modern bulk and cartridge explosives are extremely insensitive to heat and shock, unlike lithium batteries. Explosoves for military use are designed to even more stringent standards for insensitive munitions.